Sunday, February 12, 2023

Sri Raghuttama Tirtha ( Bhavabodhakara)

प्रणमत् कामधेनुं च भजत्सुरतरुत्तमं
श्री भवबोध कृत्पाद चिन्तामणिमुपास्महे।।

  Sri Raghuttama Tirtha is one among noted commentators of Madhva texts who was pontiff of Madhva Matha, now called Uttaradi Matha, by virtue of the pontiffs were all from either Mumbai-Karnataka, or Hyderabad Karnataka areas with exception of Sri Vedanidhi Tirtha from Tamil Nadu. Sri Raghuttama succeeded his maternal uncle Sri Raghuvaryaru, after is initial learning at Mannur near Indi. He was initiated as a brahma Chari soon after his Shastra learning and toured extensively in Southern India under whose pontificate the number of followers swelled up to Uttaradi Matha, even in Tamil region.

He is respectfully called Bhavabodhakara, after his noted commentaries of this name on Madhva, Jayatirtha works. Since he could get maximum number of disciples to his Matha, when other Madhva Mathas had stuck to their particular centers , except Uttaradi Matha.
Sri Raghuttama lived after Vyasateertha, as a contemporary of Vijayindra Tirtha of Vibudhendra Matha. He spent a large part of life in Tamil Nadu around Kaveri-Pennar belt, touring for most of his time with disciples, composing excellent commentaries on works of earlier Gurus. Numbering 9, his Bhavabodhas, are on Gita Bhashyam, Vishnutatvanirnaya, Tatva Prakashika, ( Jayatirtha), Nyaya Vivaranam (partly continued from Jayatirtha's Tika), Nyayartna Sambhandhadipika on Anuvyakhyanam,. Ishavasyopanishad.
He is the first commentator to mention names of Madhva disciples including Madhava Tirtha.

सुगुण नरहरि श्रीमाधव -अक्षोभ्य तीर्थान
हरिभजन नियुक्तान शुद्ध धर्मार्थकमान्
सुजन नियमनार्थं यः प्रसाद्यापरोक्षं
स भवतु मम भूत्यै पद्मनाभख्ययोगी
Sri Raghuttama Tirtha ruled as Uttaradi Mutt Swamiji and stayed at Tiukkoyilur on banks of Pinakini, near the famous Trivikrama temple. he has a large following in nearby places in Tamil Nadu, who gather for his Aradhana.

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MADHVA MATHAS